This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com

Charles Hamelin wins second straight speed-skating gold for Canada

Short-track star Charles Hamelin won his second gold medal in as many days to lead a three-medal effort by Canadian speed skaters at the Samsung ISU World Cup in Sochi, Russia on Sunday.

Hamelin, from Sainte-Julie, Que., finished first in the 1,000 metres, while Gabrielle Waddell of Red Deer, Alta., won her first career individual medal by taking bronze in the women’s 500 metres. Waddell later helped the women’s relay team win a silver.

Canada's Charles Hamelin leads Russia's Semen Elistratov on the way to winning gold in the men's 1,000 metres at a World Cup short-track speed skating event in Sochi, Russia on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013. (Igor Yakunin / The Associated Press)

Hamelin, who won the men’s 500 on Saturday, earned his latest gold with a time of one minute 25.159 seconds at the Iceberg Arena, which will host the short-track events at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

“I was trying to be more patient and save energy for the end,” said Hamelin. “So in the middle of the race I tried a pass on the outside, but I got caught by the Korean with his deep track and I almost fell. I didn’t panic. I got back on my blades and got back to the pack.

“There was a lot of action, but I was able to make my way through to first and win the race. I hope this is going to be a good sign for me in one year.”

Article Continued Below

Semen Elistratov of Russia was second and American J.R. Celski finished third. Jinkyu Noh of South Korea was penalized and settled for fourth.

“It feels pretty surreal right now. I didn’t really dream about my first World Cup medal being that I fall and then by chance that someone else falls,” said Waddell. “I deserved to be in that A final. I worked my way there. It’s the 500, it’s short track and anything can happen. I’m really happy. It’s pretty exciting.”

Kexin Fan of China won gold and Arianna Fontana of Italy took the silver.

In the women’s relay, Canada originally finished third behind gold medallist China and South Korea.

However, the Canadian team of Waddell, Marianne St-Gelais of Saint-Felicien, Que., Marie-Eve Drolet of Laterriere, Que., and Jessica Hewitt of Kamloops, B.C., was bumped up to silver after South Korea was given a penalty.

Italy was awarded the bronze.

Article Continued Below

Wu Daijing led China’s 1-2 finish in the men’s 500. Russia’s Vladimir Grigorev was third and Vincent Cournoyer of Boucherville, Que., was fourth.

Park Seung-hi of South Korea won the women’s 1,000 and Elise Christie of Britain finished second. Shim Suk-Hee of South Korea was third and St-Gelais was seventh.

The last World Cup event of the short-track season begins Friday in Dresden, Germany.

CROSS COUNTRY: Canadian cross-country skiers Perianne Jones and Daria Gaiazova have both won sprint medals with teammate Chandra Crawford over the last two years.

On Sunday in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia, Jones and Gaiazova showed that they can also reach the podium together.

Jones, from Almonte, Ont., and Gaiazova, from Banff, Alta., won their first medal as a duo by taking bronze in the 6x1.25-kilometre World Cup classic-style race with a time of 17 minutes 12.53 seconds.

The Russian team of Julia Ivanova and Natalia Matveeva edged the Canadians in a photo finish in 17:12.47, while the Finnish pair of Mona-Lisa Malvalehto and Anne Kylloenen won gold in 17:06.9.

SKI CROSS: Canadian Tristan Tafel won a silver medal at a freestyle World Cup ski cross event in Grasgehren, Germany on Sunday, finishing second behind Tamas Kraus of the Czech Republic.

Sweden’s Victor Oehling Norberg took the bronze. Brady Leman of Calgary was fifth while Alex Fiva of Switzerland retained the overall lead despite finishing sixth.

With five events remaining, Fiva has 424 points overall, one more than compatriot Armin Niederer, who cut the gap by finishing fourth.

Kraus is third overall, followed by Leman and John Teller of the United States. Tafel, from Canmore, Alta., is 14th.

Ophelie David of France won the women’s event, with Germany’s Christina Manhard in second place and another Frenchwoman, Marielle Berger Sabbatel, taking third spot.

More from The Star & Partners

LOADING

Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or distribution of this content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. To order copies of Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com